Reinforced wood rim.



E.J.LOBDEL L.

REINFORCED WOOD RIM. APPLI-OATIONIILED IEB.8, 1909. 9 4 9 4 Patented July 19,1910.

[NVENTOR aama a/VMLM UNITED STATES PATENT omnoE.

EDWARD J. LOBDELL, OF ONAWAY, MICHIGAN.

REINFORCED WOOD RIM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. LOBDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Onaway, in the county of Presque Isle, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reinforced 00d Rims, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to metal reinforced wood rims designed for use in wheels for bicycles, sulkies, and other light vehicles wherein maximum strength and resilience with a minimum weight of material are features of importance, and which wheels are commonly provided with pneumatic or other types of resilient tires; and the general objects of my invention are to provide a metal reinforced wood rim wherein the metal reinforcing member is more securely attached to the wood rim and a stronger and more efficient rim thereby procured, and to provide a rim in which injury to the resilient tire commonly used with such rims is avoided.

In such types of metal reinforced wood rims as have been commonly and extensively used the outer or head ends of the nipples to which the outer ends of the spokes of the wheel are secured have usually projected beyond the surface of the metal reinforcing member, thus coming into direct contact with the tire which rests upon said reinforcing member which feature, especially in case pneumatic tires are used which is the more common practice, has frequently resulted in injury to the tire; and one of the objects of my invention is to provide a metal reinforced rim in which such projections are avoided and the liability of the tire to injury by them thus eliminated, and a rim in which at the same time the features whereby such projections are avoided assist in securing the metal reinforcing member to the wood rim and in securing a stronger and a more effective rim of the type specified.

IVith the above enumerated objects in view my invention consists in the improved metal reinforced wood rim illustrated in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specification, and particularly claimed in the clauses of the concluding claim.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view show- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 8, 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910. Serial No. 476,831.

ing a. transverse section of my improved rim as adapted for tires commonly referred to as of the clencher type; Fig. 2 is a view showing a transverse section of my improved rim as adapted for single tube tires, this view showing also the end of a spoke and the nipple wherein it is secured; Fig. 8 is a view showing a transverse section of my improved rim as adapted for tires having wired edges, and Fig. 4 is a view showing a plan of a portion of my improved tire and illustrating the manner 'in whichthe ends of the metallic reinforcing-member are secured to the wood rim.

In the drawing, 1 is a wood rim which may be formed from a single piece of wood, or may be formed by gluing together a number of thin strips, both methods of construction being common in the art.

2 is a metallic reinforcing member which surrounds the wood rim 1 and is secured to the periphery thereof, and upon which the resilient tire rests. This reinforcing mem ber is given various forms to adapt the wheel to particular types of tires; the edges thereof being inclining inward as shown in Fig. 1 to form recesses 3 for receiving the enlarged lower edges of clencher tires, or provided with offsets 4, Fig. 3, for receiving the wired edges of the other types of tires, or the reinforcing member may be of simple concave form as shown in Fig. 2 ifthe wheel is to be provided with a single tube tire.

In the form shown in Fig. l the edges of the reinforcing member are bent upon themselves ,and rolled outward to thereby provide a plurality of thicknesses of material as shown at 5 whereby the edges are materially strengthened and a rim procured in which liability of the tire to injury by abrasion or cutting by the reinforcing member is materially lessened both by the presence of the enlarged annular ridges thus formed and the fact that the metal isrolled outward whereby the surface of the reinforcing memher with which the tire contacts is smooth and continuous throughout its entire extent.

The wood rim 1 is provided with a plurality of passages 12, one for each of the nipples and spokes with which the wheel is provided, and the outer surface of the rim is provided with a like number of recesses within the upper ends of the passages 12- communicating with the outer ends of the sald passages, one of which recesses is shown recesses 7 within which the outer or head ends of the nipples wherein the ends of the spokes are secured rest, 8 being one of such nipples having a head 9, and 10 being the end of a spoke. It will thus be seen that the heads of the nipples are countersunk and lie below the surface of the reinforcing member, whereby a smooth and even surface is presented to the resilient tire and injury thereof by the heads of the nipples thus avoided. The bottom wall of the recess 7 is provided with depending spurs 11 which lie provided for the nipples, which spurs serve as additional means for securing an efiectlve bond between the wood rim and the metallic reinforcing member.

The preferred method 'of constructing the rim above 'dlsclosed is to form the recess 6 in the wood rim 1 and place the metallic reinforcing member 2 thereon with its free ends secured to the rlm by screws 13 as shown in Fig. i, the recesses 7 being not yet lent process into the upper ends of the pas- I sages 12 to thereby form the spurs 11.

a firm bond between the wooden rim and the metallic reinforcing member as it will be obvious that the sides and bottoms of the recesses 7 will be forced into intimate contact with the recesses 6 in the wood rim and the spurs 11 will be forced into contact with and I ing torn from the wooden rim or otherwise injured in handling or in use, it being seen that the wooden rimeX-tends slightly beyond the surface of the downwardly extending 7 portion of the metal reinforcing member so that said edge will not catch upon obstructions.

It will be seen from Fig. 4 thatthe ends of the metallic reinforcing member 2 are secured to the wood rim 1, in which feature my improved rim differs from those types of rims wherein the metallic reinforcing member is continuous, and it is found in practice that a more resilient rim, as compared with rims having continuous reinforcing bands, is thereby procured.

The metallic reinforcing member 2 may be made of any metal capable of being worked to give it the form disclosed, and I have used 0th aluminum and steel with satisfactory results.

Having thus described my invention and explained the mode of operation thereof, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a metal reinforced wood rim for vehicle wheels, a wood rim provided with a plurality of passages adapted to receive nipples, and with recesses communicating with the outer ends of said passages; and a metal reinforcing member surrounding said rim and adapted to receive a resilient tire, and provided with a corresponding number of recesses disposed within the recesses of said wood rim, and with spurs projecting from the bottom walls of said recesses and into the upper ends of said passages.

2. In a metal reinforced wood rim for vehicle wheels, a wood rim provided with a plurality of passages adapted to receive nipp les, and with recesses communicating with the outer ends of said passages; and a metal reinforcing member surrounding said rim and adapted to receive a resilient tire, and provided with a corresponding number of y recesses disposed within the recesses of said The method :above outlined will result in wood rim and in intimate contact with the walls thereof, and with spurs projecting from the bottom walls of said recesses and into the upper ends of said )assages.

3. In a metal reinforce wood rim for vehicle wheel's, a wood rim provided with a plurality of pas sages adapted to receive nip- ;ples, :and with recesses communicating with the outer ends of said passages; and 'a metal reinforcing member surrounding said rim and adapted to receive a resilient tire, and provided with a corresponding number of recesses disposed within the recesses of said wood rim, and with spurs projecting from the bottom walls of said recesses and into the upper ends of said passages, the edges of said reinforcing member which secure the tire in place being folded outward to thereby provide a plurality of thicknesses of material :and a continuous and smooth surface for a tire to rest upon.

4. In a metal reinforced wood rim for vehicle wheels, a wood rim provided with a plurality of passages adapted to receive nipples, and with recesses communicating with the outer endsof said passages, and provided also with a *rabbet upon either side of the periphery thereof; and a metal reinforcing member surrounding said rim and adapted to receive a resilient tire, the edges of said reinforcing member being bent outwardly and downwardly so as to lie within the rabof said recesses and into the upper ends of said passages. 10

Thls specification signed and witnessed bets aforesaid, said reinforcing member this 6th day of February A. D. 1909.

being provided with recesses corresponding in number with the recesses in said Wood rim and disposed within said recesses, and with spurs projecting from the bottom walls EDWARD J. LOBDELL. In the presence of F. H. MUnLLERWEIss, M. CRUsE. 

